Priority Log - Part 1

[locomodo]

Log 02 Priority (Part I)
The Mine Car

As characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new message…

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> OVERRIDE: TUTORIAL MODE DEACTIVATED.
> OBJECTIVE:

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NAME: The Mine Car
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT: Gothic era
DANGER LEVEL: High
GENERAL STINKINESS: High
COMMON DENIZENS: Humans, ornithrops, bearkin
CUISINE: Peasant gruel, bird seed

There is no sender. Or objective?

But that's fine, probably! The car itself is completely functional, and features a fully developed society.

Passengers will arrive in this car and be immediately greeted by a fog that chills them to their core. The car around them is vast, and yet deathly silent. They'll find themselves starting off in a forest of petrified wood, the ground hard and unyielding underneath their feet, with flora and fauna in various stages of decay around them. While the fog around them is thick, the lights of a nearby village can still be seen from a distance, and as they travel, the dirt road will give way to cobblestone.

Eventually they'll be greeted with a signpost, welcoming them to the town of MINECRAFTIA.




While Minecraftia's denizens are harrowed and distressed, they're quick to warn the passengers traveling through of the ailment, a mysterious illness that is plaguing their town. It's been leaving even healthy youths bedridden, and while the town mayor has passionately declared that he will find a solution, it appears that there's no cure in sight.

Locations

Minecraftia is a foreboding little town, even in the daylight, with murky skies above and fog blanketing the roads. Still, the denizens persist through their daily routines, and won't stop the passengers from exploring.

Clinic: The town's only clinic with the town's only doctor. It's a small, rickety building that operates all hours of the day. Between the rapid spread of sickness and the steady depletion of supplies, it's a grim place to be nowadays. Anyone healthy who visits might be roped in to help, and those who look ill will be quarantined with an uncomfortable bedroll and thin blanket.

Cemetery: Located on the outskirts of town, the cemetery is home to dead bodies, even deader earth, and a deadpan gravekeeper. The exit door is here in a flower-covered plot, but cannot be opened.

Chicken House: A barnyard building home to the town's chickens. Lately they've been more worked up than usual, and taken to flying the coop and finding refuge by digging their claws into the scalps of bystanders. Agitating one chicken may cause a whole flock to descend on you!

The Dark Woods: The village is surrounded by what was once lush woods, but the trees now stand dark and eerie, an unusually thick fog rolling between them. While there are some of the usual, woodland creatures chirruping in the dense silence, they're hard to find. Monsters, meanwhile, are much more common.

The Mines: In the heart of the woods are entrances to the town's expansive system of mines. Stepping inside shows that the dirt and stone is laced with beautiful gems and minerals, but passengers will be shooed away by miners if they try to explore any deeper. It seems there's several dangerous mine shafts underfoot, as well as past attacks by what seems to be mole monsters.

Mayor's Mansion: The largest building in Minecraftia, situated on a hill. While Mayor Chadsef's staff welcomes guests, they will be cautioned not to explore past the lobby, which just smells a little like cleaning chemicals thanks to a diligent maid crew.

Denizens

Players may use denizens as convenient in threads, as well as these NPCs, except for the Mayor. He's a very busy man!

Madam Vermeer: The Madam is a human extremely afraid that she'll die before seeing her son marry. Which means that she is hunting the streets for eligible men and women, and whisking them in droves away into her mansion to be made over, trained in the art of serving, etc. before presenting them to her son.

Cassy Cassatt: Cassy is an ornithrop and the owner of the chicken house. She's shorthanded nowadays, but business-savvy enough to prey on considerate bystanders. She'll rope anyone she sees into helping out, whether it's collecting eggs, feeding or breeding.

Turner: Turner is a bearkin, and one of the nurses at the clinic. He's taken to drinking his weight in mead whenever he's off the clock, and it's not uncommon for his body to be seen unconscious on the road. He'll try to flee or swat blindly if anyone tries to help him, but he really does need help getting home.

Chadsef: The mayor of Minecraftia, who is notably wealthier than the rest of the citizens. He's young and inexperienced, but carries a Birds of Economics degree, and is determined to bring jobs to the town. He'll just need to make sure people are alive to do them first!

Other

The longer that passengers remain in the car, the more they'll learn, and soon they'll realize the following:

1. They are not immune to the illness. They can't determine what it is that triggers it. At first it's a sense of fatigue, then hunger and irritability. Then, the numbness will begin, starting in their extremities and spreading up their limbs, until that numbness turns into pain. Eventually that pain will lead to madness, a state of delirium where they begin to behave erratically, endangering themselves and those around them.
   
   
2. There is something in the woods. Though the passengers saw nothing when they arrived in the woods, at night they can hear growling. Venturing outside will reveal grotesque creatures emerging from the fog, rampaging into the town and tearing flesh and stone with their massive claws. These creatures appear rabid, familiar but warped, and they swarm the town with no regard for their own safety or benefit. Examples: (1) (2) (3) (4)
   
   
3. Corpses are disappearing. Despite deaths, the cemetery isn't seeing any more business. Rumour has it that a certain wealthy denizen has been paying to have the corpses taken away. But to where, and why, remains unknown…

Numbers

Numbers! Everyone starts with one that glows on their bodies — as a fun thread mechanic, we suggest they're somewhere visible, but it's up to you!



Because while this is not IC knowledge yet, numbers are determined by how troubled your character is. This may be based on their past actions and crimes, but also alienating habits, regrets, personality flaws, trauma, etc — a higher number does not necessarily mean they're a bad person, but it may signify a difficult time in their life, or substantial personal issues.

As passengers enter this car, they'll notice that their numbers may begin to change in response to certain actions and decisions. The general rule is that numbers change as characters work through their issues. If they make a decision that serves to better themselves, their number will decrease. But if they make a decision that is ill-intentioned, their number will increase. Players can change their number as they see fit going forward.

OOC Notes

Exploration: Players may submit on-going threads here to get a short mod tag with further discoveries in any given location. Characters can potentially earn items or clues as to the car's objective this way. Please limit your explorations to one per player; we will let you all know if we have the capacity to do more!

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Comments

[himbomb]

Wh... Hey!

[Rex's voice gets high-pitched. No!!! If there is one thing he hates, it's being thought of as a child.]

Look! I just got out of a four year relationship, okay! I'm done with strings! I just wanna get laid.

[Oof, he's in trouble now. Perhaps this is pushing it, but he takes the hand prodding at his chest in his own, rubbing it gently with his own thumb, as if to soothe the other's temper. Fuck knows what this'll do.]

Fine, fine. Whaaaat is it?

[vadarta]

[ He'd suspected these would be easy enough reins to grab if he's dealing with someone so young, and a half-hidden smile quirks a corner of his mouth. He's going to have to rethink his entire approach here in light of this information, but — there's hope for it. ]

It's Vanadi. [ A little arch, but the offense has left his tone. It was feigned, anyway. He studies Rex thoughtfully, head tipped and arms folded across his chest. ] Four years is impressive for someone that's hardly had any time to be alive yet. Does that mean you've only slept with one other person?

[ Because apparently some people do that, pick one person and only sleep with them. Totally wild. ]

[himbomb]

[...Oof. At that, Rex's lip curls inward and he looks away. That is guilt, certainly. Most certainly.]

More like two people? But, yeah, mostly. For a long time...

It was... It was just the one.

[He feels a tad embarrassed but... There doesn't seem to be any judgment here? So. It is surprisingly a relief to get that off his chest.]

Well, I guess technically four? But three of were actually the same person, u-uh... She can make clones of herself? That's her superpower. Kinda hard to explain? Anyway!

[vadarta]

[ Oh yeah, he can definitely piece this picture together, then. A little infidelity, a long-term (for a human) relationship recently ended, and an attempt at a one night stand. Probably his first attempt, even. Vanadi can't stop his smile from widening and growing wry. ]

A bold choice for an illicit evening. [ Whatever clones are. He gets the gist of it. He swings forward to drape an arm over Rex's shoulders, even if he has to stretch up to do it. ] Let's get another bottle, hmm? I've a room nearby with a friend of mine, we can enjoy it there. I want to hear more about these, ah, clones?

[ Vanadi has assigned himself leader of this evening, apparently. He doesn't have many principles, but that an evening should be properly enjoyed to its fullest extent is one of them. ]

[himbomb]

[This is absolutely Rex's first attempt at a one-night stand, and while he's been doing his best to play it cool and feel nothing at all, he appreciates the lack of judgment for his indiscretions. A weight, it seems, has been lifted from his shoulders, and he can finally put his fists down and... Perhaps appreciate this evening for whatever it will be. Ugh, but anger and confidence have been replaced with sheepishness and a peak of anxiety, which is not his favorite thing at all!]

Oh. A clone is when you can just make copies of yourself? Duplicates. So, uh... It's like being in a threesome or foursome except... All of the others have the same face. It was pretty hot... But that also might've been 'cause... I was mad at my girlfriend, so.

[Eve did not at all deserve his anger, not to that degree, but in a way, by torching their relationship entirely, Rex was able to control it. If he was the villain of it, after all she had done for him, there was a very clear reason for why they met their bitter end, and it didn't have to be her admitting that she just didn't love him anymore.

And that would have been so much worse. Well, for Rex at least. His number is in part so high because he often chooses selfishness.]

Uh, ex-girlfriend.

[From the way he says it, it's clear that he's not used to referring to her as such either. What the fuck does he do with this arm... Well! He's not going to push it away, and instead nervously leans into the touch.

It's been a little too long that he's gone without it.]

[vadarta]

[ Vanadi leads a detour back into the tavern, where they're welcomed without enthusiasm — but the barkeep is glad enough to see Vanadi's second overpayment of the night, and soon enough they're back out again, one bottle stronger.

Picking up the conversation again, and gesturing with the corked bottle: ] And how thrilling to think that was your first infidelity. I'm sure your next will be an even better story, yes? The sky really is the limit when you begin introducing interesting abilities.

[himbomb]

Oh, um, actually? I'm tryin' really hard not to do that again? Like, I don't need to make a habit of that- I don't want to. I didn't want to. I've known Kate for almost as long as Eve and I were together, and she's kinda-sorta always given me the eye, so...!

[Rex can feel his cheeks heating up. Oof, well, that's certainly not very masculine of him, and it's not as though this beautiful stranger is actually interested in hearing him out!

It is nice though. Not having to put up a farce for... Ooh, maybe a few seconds. To feel like he's being led instead of having to take the lead, which is a welcome relief from constantly fighting for his life.]

I guess I liked the attention. All eyes on me, that part... Eve'd been really busy lately, so... I thought she was messin' around with another guy.

[Who also happens to be here.]

As for me, I can heat stuff up with my hands? Honestly, it's less heatin' 'n more... Explodin'? But I've done it for years now, so, I can make 'em small or big. 'S fun, y'know, when I'm not rippin' people apart from the insides. Or, well, not that kinda rippin'.

Does that... Sound like somethin' you'd be into?

[vadarta]

[ It's all the more amusing to think that this guy accepted Vanadi as a married man as easily as that, while planning to cut the habit himself. Amusing, but only because it's shaken out in just such a way as to be of no inconvenience to Vanadi. So he only grins, and nudges Rex's arm with an elbow. ]

Keep your head in one place, my dear. Are we discussing your history, or our prospects? I'm game for either, but both at once would be an interesting challenge that I'm not sure even I would be up for.

[himbomb]

[For Rex Splode, tender moments like this are often few and far between. He finds that without aggression, danger, or even the fire of a familiar kind of passion, it's difficult to find his footing. For a seasoned gymnast, someone who is an expert at getting back on his feet time and time again, being knocked off balance is unsettling to say the least.

God knows how much time he has. Before Omni-Man comes after him and the rest of the planet. Before he starts to feel again, badly, for the poor residents of this doomed little village, who may be beyond his help. That doesn't mean he can't try, however.

At the risk of looking like a complete moron, he admits:]

I just be wanna be with someone else.

[Not alone. Not with Invincible.]

And, uh, not think too much about it.

What about you?

[vadarta]

[ Vanadi's face, ever sharp, softens. Wanting just to be with someone is something he's felt any number of times, has driven most of his life — but that's one of those embarrassing thoughts that's tucked quickly away again, so he covers the softening with a smirk and threads his arm through Rex's to pat his forearm. ]

That's an excellent plan and I'm very much in favor of it.

[ The smirk grows lopsided and pleased with itself, his tone drops whatever softness it had picked up. ]

And to answer your question, heating up stuff sounds quite convenient to me. And you — you've only known women, yes? Gods, and you acted so sure of yourself there for a moment!

[himbomb]

[Ah, a touch of softness. Once again, Rex's curiosity has been piqued.]

He-ey, whoa there! Girls are the tricky ones! If I'm good with them, how hard are guys supposed to be? We're all horny meatheads, anyway! Aaaand our anatomy is so much simpler, fuck.

[The bravado is back- Unfortunately.]

But if you happen to think I'm wrong?

[If Vanadi will allow it, Rex will reach for one of his hands and idly play with those pretty fingers. Hey, two can play at this whole Victorian flirtation thing.]

Why don't you prove it to me?

[vadarta]

Very hard, if you're doing it correctly. [ haha, get it. He grins, and obligingly loosens his fingers to allow the little game of hands. ]

Truly, though — how interesting for you, to know one body very well, and — well, the thing with the clones. And now you get to sample what the of the world has to offer, hmm? There are quite a few different shapes and sizes out there.

[ This is the inn, small and shitty as it is. Vanadi pulls them inside the poorly-lit main room and starts up the staircase at the back, headed for the little room he shares with Tessa. Maybe she's out — or maybe she's in, and hungry. That would be good timing. ]

NSFW tho that's this whole thread smh

[himbomb]

[Rex just has to let out a chuckle at that joke- It's right up his alley.]

Yeah? I'll bet.

[Just like on days where the bad guys nope out of situations entirely of their own accord, Rex finds that this kind of no-stakes encounter is wildly exhilarating in its own right. There's no need to guard his secret identity here or worry about government agents trying to get their revenge, and after this night ends, he could easily ditch this guy, crawl back into his tent, and forget any of this ever happened.

Instead of having to be punched in the face by the same person at target practice the following day.]

Would you happen to like 'em big, tan, and with a little bit of a curve?

[It's a bold move to assume that he'd be on the larger end of whatever this supposedly seasoned and promiscuous elf man might have encountered. Then again, peacocking is sort of Rex's bag anyway.]

'Cause if so, I might be able to make you very happy tonight.

[The state of the inn doesn't matter. Small or dark as the room may be, it's private, and is a major step up from sleeping on the ground next to Sir Drools-a-Lot.]

Or well! I can try.

[vadarta]

[ Vanadi laughs — not rudely, maybe for once in his life, or because in a world of orcs and goliaths he's definitely seen larger than whatever Rex has to offer — but because the enthusiasm is charming. ]

What a promise! I'm going to hold you to that.

[ He pulls a brass key from his pocket and pushes open the door, preemptively ready with a greeting — but it's not necessary, the room is dark and Tessa isn't inside. Ah, well. Dinner another time, maybe. He stands in the door to welcome the way in. ]

So then, what was that about — heating things up? I think you'd better demonstrate, that sounds fascinating.